Wearing a turban in the face of hate

Arinder Chandha, 48, of Placentia who has twice been a victim of a hate crime continues to wear the traditional turban of his Sikh faith while praying for understanding and peace. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Regardless what you think of turbans, you've got to admire the Chadha family.

Father and son wear turbans everywhere. And Mom, though at time fearful for their safety, supports them.

It's not that the Chadhas want to antagonize anyone in our post 9/11 world. Far from it. It's simply that their religion, Sikhism, requires such attire.

I suppose they could deny their faith. But then they'd also be denying what the United States is about.

Freedom.

But in 21st century America, religious freedom doesn't come without a price.

•••

The Chadhas came to this country in 1998 from India, a country with a blend of faiths including Hindu, Islam and Christianity. Sikhism ranks fourth.

It was before India's economic boom. And, like millions of immigrants before them, Mom and Dad saw America as a land of opportunity.

Dad, Arinder Chadha, arrived in the U.S. with a medical degree. Now with an MBA from UCI, he serves as associate chief medical officer at Chino State Prison.

Mom, with a son in college and a 14-year-old daughter, is a full-time homemaker and part-time volunteer. She often works at one of two Sikh temples in Orange County. One is in Santa Ana, the other in Buena Park.

When they first immigrated to the United States, they lived and worked around New York City. But life changed for the Chadhas – and other Sikhs – on Sept. 11, 2001.

Before 9/11, Chadha might get a few curious looks while wearing one of his tightly wound colorful turbans during his commute from Long Island to Manhattan. But after the hijacked jets tore into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, Chadha saw stares of hatred.

And worse.

•••

Chadha's been called a "towel head." He gets flipped off. Some shout, "Hey, Osama, go back to Iraq."

In Long Island, one kid knocked off his son's turban. School administrators, the parents say, declined to address the issue.

Related Links

Arinder Chandha, 48, of Placentia who has twice been a victim of a hate crime continues to wear the traditional turban of his Sikh faith while praying for understanding and peace. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Angad Chadha, 20, wears the patka turban. In 2006 the driveway of his family's Placentia home was spray painted with a penis and three testicles that were labeled "3 testi." The family believes the third testicle to refer to the knot, or patka turban, his son Angad wears. Police classified the incident as a hate crime. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Father and son, Arinder Chandha, 48, left, and Angad Chadha, 20, at their home in Placentia. Despite being victims of hate crimes, both continue to were the traditional turbans of their Sikh faith. The elder Chandha wears the pagri turban and his son the patka turban. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Arinder Chandha, 48, member of the Sikh faith has been a victim of hate crimes twice. In 2006 the driveway of his family's Placentia home was spray painted with a penis and three testicles that were labeled "3 testi." The family believes the third testicle to refer to the knot, or patka turban, his son Angad wears. Police classified the incident as a hate crime. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Angad Chadha, 20, wears the patka turban. In 2006 the driveway of his family's Placentia home was spray painted with a penis and three testicles that were labeled "3 testi." The family believes the third testicle to refer to the knot, or patka turban, his son Angad wears. Police classified the incident as a hate crime. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Arinder Chandha, 48, and his son Angad, 20 are shown near the neighborhood watch sign on their garage. After obscene images, derogatory of their Sikh religion, was spray painted in the the driveway in 2006, Chandha formed a neighborhood watch program. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Arinder Chandha, 48, of Placentia, who has twice been the victim of a hate crime, continues to wear the traditional turban of his Sikh faith while praying for understanding and peace. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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